hackshttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/3394/all
enEasy Mac Hacks: Automatically Shut Down Your Mac at a Specified Timehttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/easy_mac_hacks_automatically_shut_down_your_mac_specified_time
<!--paging_filter--><p><em><img src="/files/u12635/easy_mac_hacks_icon_flat_51.png" width="200" height="200" class="graphic-right" />Every Monday we show you how to do something quick and cool with Mac OS X. Sometimes it's a tutorial on a lesser-known feature, other times it's a trick that uses built-in functionality such as Terminal — either way, these simple tips can make life better and easier, and they don’t require any special knowledge. All you need to do is follow the instructions!<br /></em><br />With the Terminal, you can have a wide variety of control when it comes to shutting down your Mac. Most of the time, you'll probably want to shut down your Mac instantly, but other times you may want to shut it down at a specific time, or after a specific number of minutes or hours have elapsed. This can be useful for times when you want to leave your Mac performing a task, but then have it shut down after the task will be completed while you walk away from the computer. Continue reading and we'll show you how this shut down task can be used in the Terminal.<br /><br />Begin scheduling the shut down of your Mac by opening the Terminal app (located in /Applications/Utilities) on your Mac.</p><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/screen_shot_2015-05-18_at_3.02.17_pm.png"><img src="/files/u12635/screen_shot_2015-05-18_at_3.02.17_pm.png" width="620" height="435" class="thickbox" /></a><br /><br />If you want to shut down your Mac after a certain number of minutes — say, 10 — then type the following command:</p><pre>sudo shutdown -h +10</pre><p>This specific command will begin the shut down process of your Mac after 10 minutes, but you can replace the "10" in the above command with any number of minutes you desire. (<em>Note: Because this command requires super user privileges, you will need to input the administrator password before the command is processed.)</em><br /><br />Once the command has been run, the Terminal will display the time of the next shut down. If you close the window, or press Control + C inside of the window, the shutdown command will be canceled.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/easy_mac_hacks_automatically_shut_down_your_mac_specified_time#commentsDownEasy Mac HackEasy Mac HackshacksHow toMacshutShutdownshutdown -rTerminalMacHow-TosMon, 18 May 2015 17:21:13 +0000Cory Bohon21630 at http://www.maclife.comApple Resolves iOS 7 Lock Screen Passcode Bypass Issue with New Patchhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_resolves_ios_7_lock_screen_passcode_bypass_issue_new_patch
<!--paging_filter--><p>You might recall that last week we reported on a <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/ios_7_lockscreen_bug_lets_intruders_access_photos_email_and_twitter_0" target="_blank">nasty vulnerability issue with iOS 7</a> in which other people could bypass your iPhone's lockscreen and access your photos, e-mail, and social networking accounts by exploiting the Control Center. Today Apple released a fix for it with a 17.4 MB update that also introduces a Greek keyboard for our friends in the Mediterranean.</p><p>The patch occurs just six days after we reported on it. In a statement to AllThingsD that day, Apple spokesperson Trudy Miller said, "Apple takes user security very seriously. We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update."</p><p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tTewm0V_5ts" width="620" height="465" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>And true to its word, Apple didn't wait ages to implement the fix, but instead delivered a patch almost exclusively devoted to the patch. (No word on if they plan do to anything about the <a href="http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/the-iphone-5ss-fingerprint-scanner-was-hacked-but-im-not-worried/?_r=0" target="_blank">overly complicated hack</a> to bypass the iPhone 5s' fingerprint sensor.)</p><p>The patch, marked iOS 7.0.2, is the first patch since the release of the new operating system, as iOS 7.0.1 appeared on launch day to remedy last minute issues with the iPhone 5s and 5c. You can download the patch either your iTunes or through Settings.</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer,<a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank"> Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_resolves_ios_7_lock_screen_passcode_bypass_issue_new_patch#commentsNewshacksiPadiphonemedianewsSecuritysocialvulnerabilityThu, 26 Sep 2013 23:09:18 +0000Leif Johnson18171 at http://www.maclife.comiOS 7 Lockscreen Bug Lets Intruders Access Photos, E-mail, and Twitterhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/ios_7_lockscreen_bug_lets_intruders_access_photos_email_and_twitter_0
<!--paging_filter--><p>On the heels of iOS 7's launch, a particularly nasty vulnerability issue has been discovered by user Jose Rodriguez of Spain, who sent a video detailing the problem to <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/09/19/ios-7-bug-lets-anyone-bypass-iphones-lockscreen-to-hijack-photos-email-or-twitter/" target="_blank">Forbes</a>. By exploiting the design of the Control Center by swiping up on the lock screen, someone else can access the iPhone's photos, e-mail, and social networking accounts without even worrying about the passcode.</p><p>Reading over Forbes' description and watching the accompanying videos, it reveals itself as one of those issues where you wonder how it was even discovered in the first place. After you've accessed the Control Panel, you then open the Clock and then (while Clock is open), you hit the sleep button, prompting the "Slide to Power Off" slider to come up.</p><p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tTewm0V_5ts" width="620" height="465" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>But instead of using the slider, according to Forbes, "the intruder can tap 'cancel' and double click the home button to enter the phone’s multitasking screen. That offers access to its camera and stored photos, along with the ability to share those photos from the user’s accounts, essentially allowing anyone who grabs the phone to hijack the user’s email, Twitter, Facebook, or Flickr account."</p><p>Rodriguez's video shows the vulnerability issues working on the iPad, too, (and I can attest to it, having experimented with it myself). The good news is that Apple is aware of the issue, and plans to fix it in the future. In a statement to AllThingsD, Apple spokesperson Trudy Miller said, "Apple takes user security very seriously. We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update."</p><p>In the meantime, simply disabling Control Center access through the lock screen in Settings with remedy the issue.</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/ios_7_lockscreen_bug_lets_intruders_access_photos_email_and_twitter_0#commentsNewshacksiPadiphoneSecuritySocial MediavulnerabilityFri, 20 Sep 2013 23:24:41 +0000Leif Johnson18115 at http://www.maclife.comApple TV Update Breaks PlexConnect, But There's a Fixhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_tv_update_breaks_plexconnect_theres_fix
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/plexconnect_620px.png" alt="PlexConnect" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>Yesterday's over-the-air Apple TV update added a number of goodies for owners of the little black box, but for PlexConnect fans, it was nothing but bad news as their favorite loophole got closed up by Cupertino.</p><p><a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/27/latest-apple-tv-update-breaks-plexconnect-client/" target="_blank">MacRumors reported Tuesday</a> that a stealth update to the Apple TV effectively slammed the door on a trick that allowed the built-in Trailers app to be used as a Plex client called PlexConnect, even on devices that have not been jailbroken.</p><p>Not surprisingly, the folks at Plex were rightfully bummed to hear that their clever workaround was no more, with CTO Elan Feingold telling MacRumors "we can only hope that in the future Apple decides to release an SDK for the ATV. The level of interest in the project was quite high."</p><p>But that was yesterday, and today is a new day thanks to developer Paul Kehrer, who has <a href="http://langui.sh/2013/08/27/appletv-ssl-plexconnect/" target="_blank">posted detailed instructions</a> on how to get PlexConnect working again. The tutorial isn't for the faint of heart, involving the free OS X-only Apple Configurator software and a micro-USB cable to connect the Apple TV to a Mac.</p><p>PlexConnect appears to be a much better way to get Plex on the Apple TV than the earlier hack-based app, although Apple's latest cat-and-mouse game will keep fans on their toes for the foreseeable future.</p><p><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_tv_update_breaks_plexconnect_theres_fix#commentsNewsApple ConfiguratorApple TVapple tv updatehacksmicro-USBPlexPlexConnectSDKstreaming videoworkaroundsMacWed, 28 Aug 2013 13:06:00 +0000J.R. Bookwalter17893 at http://www.maclife.comAnandTech Debunks Allegations of iOS Data Throttlinghttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/anandtech_debunks_allegations_ios_data_throttling
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/speedtest_app_620px.png" alt="SpeedTest.net app" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>Earlier this week, the creators of several hacked carrier updates accused Apple of intentionally throttling data speeds on the iPhone and iPad -- a claim now debunked after the original post went missing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.anandtech.com/show/7037/apple-not-throttling-iphones-ipads-cellular-throughput-via-carrier-bundles-" target="_blank">AnandTech reported Thursday</a> that recent allegations of Apple intentionally limiting data speeds on the iPhone and iPad are "simply not the case" -- a rebuttal that appears to be validated by the removal of the original accusation on iTweakiOS.<br /><br />"Apple doesn't limit cellular data throughput on its devices -- there's both no incentive for them to do so, and any traffic management is better off done in the packet core of the respective network operator rather than on devices," AnandTech reveals. "Sideloading tweaked carrier bundles isn't going to magically increase throughput, either."<br /><br />Although there are cases where carriers have disabled faster data speeds entirely -- such as HTC's Inspire 4G and Atrix 4G on AT&amp;T, which initially disabled HSUPA -- this has never been the case with an iOS device, nor does it seem likely Apple would play ball with carriers to limit the end customer experience in such a way.<br /><br />While the report doesn't specifically address iTweakiOS' original claim that the T-Mobile iPhone 5 was excluded from the so-called "throttling" while devices from Verizon, AT&amp;T and Sprint supposedly did, it does appear to free Apple from any blame.<br /><br />"There's no reason for Apple to want to arbitrarily limit their devices, and the reality is that they don't, at all, on any version of iPad or iPhone or in any of the carrier bundles they've distributed for network operators," AnandTech concludes. "If anything, Apple has long been one of the few handset vendors who initially understood the importance of limiting annoying operator customizations. The Carrier Bundles are quite literally the only place in the entire OS they have indirect access (through Apple) to toggles they can play with."<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/anandtech_debunks_allegations_ios_data_throttling#commentsNewsAnandTechApple Inc.AT&Tcarrier bundlescarrier updatesdata speedsdebunkedhacksiPad Data PlaniTweakiOSiPadiPhoneFri, 07 Jun 2013 11:44:10 +0000J.R. Bookwalter17193 at http://www.maclife.comTerminal 101: Writing and Editing Documentshttp://www.maclife.com/article/columns/terminal_101_writing_and_editing_documents
<!--paging_filter--><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This week, we're teaching you how to write and edit text documents right from within Terminal, as well as how to navigate directories from within the command line.&nbsp;</p><p>Before you continue, you'll need to have a bit of knowledge about the basic syntax for navigating around the command line.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/11_unix_commands_every_mac_geek_should_know" target="_blank">We've got a handy little primer here</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>There are many built-in command line text editors on the Mac, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi" target="_blank">Vi</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emacs" target="_blank">Emacs</a>, but we'll stick with an easy-to-use text editor: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nano_(text_editor)" target="_blank">nano</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Creating a New Document</h3><p>To create a new document, fire up the Terminal application and navigate to the directory where you want the document to be created; then, type in nano and press enter on your keyboard.</p><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/nano_1.png"><img src="/files/u12635/nano_1.png" width="620" height="432" class="thickbox" /></a><br /><br />This command will open the nano text editor. With its simple interface, you can begin typing at the start of your document. Use the keyboard's arrow keys to move throughout the document, and use the enter key to create a new line.</p><h3>Loading an Existing Document</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/nano_2.png"><img src="/files/u12635/nano_2.png" width="620" height="432" class="thickbox" /></a></p><p>After navigating to the location where a document currently exists, type in nano, followed by a space, and then the filename of the document you wish to open. So, for instance, if we had a document named "mydocument.txt," we would type the following command into Terminal:</p><pre>nano mydocument.txt </pre><p><br />Nano will then open the existing document for editing. You can make any changes you'd like to the document, and then re-save it using the following command.</p><h3>Saving Documents</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/nano_3.png"><img src="/files/u12635/nano_3.png" width="620" height="432" class="thickbox" /></a></p><p>To save your document in nano, press <strong>Control + O</strong>. Nano will then prompt you for the "Filename to Write." Type in your document's filename, and then press enter.</p><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/nano_4.png"><img src="/files/u12635/nano_4.png" width="620" height="432" class="thickbox" /></a><br />After a second or two, nano will let you know that the file has been written out, and will let you know how many lines were in the document. You will be able to find your saved document in the Finder.</p><h3>Sharing Documents</h3><p>Documents created within the nano program are sharable between Mac, Windows, and Linux systems because they are plaintext (.txt) filetypes. <br /><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/nano_5.png"><img src="/files/u12635/nano_5.png" width="620" height="386" class="thickbox" /></a></p><p>After saving your document within nano, the file will be visible in the Finder, ready for you to share through email, upload to a website, or send through a file transfer in iChat. Anywhere you can share a plaintext file, you can share documents created within nano. <br /><br /><br /><em>Cory Bohon is a freelance technology writer, indie Mac and iOS developer, and amateur photographer. Follow this article's author, <a href="http://twitter.com/coryb/" target="_blank">Cory Bohon on Twitter</a>.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/terminal_101_writing_and_editing_documents#commentsColumnsDocumentsEditingemacshacksNanoTerminalTerminal 101TipstricksvivimwritingMacMon, 20 Feb 2012 18:25:36 +0000Cory Bohon13341 at http://www.maclife.com8 Finder Terminal Hacks You've Never Usedhttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/8_finder_terminal_hacks_youve_never_used
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_teaser.png" width="150" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Apple is known for its supreme aestethics and design, though it's not exactly regarded as the most customizable of platforms. Luckily, there are some Terminal tricks that can be used to do things like disable icons from the Desktop, enable a simpler Finder window, and show X-ray-style folders. Read on to find out how!&nbsp; <br /><br /></p><h3>How to run the commands</h3><p>We will be executing the following commands in Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities). After typing (or copying and pasting) the command, press the enter key. <br /><br />After running the command, you will need to restart the Finder by typing the following command into the Terminal, followed by the enter key:</p><pre>killall Finder</pre><p>The commands below labeled as "Enable Commands" are the Terminal commands you will enter to enable the hack; to disable the hack, simply run the "Reversal Command" listed for that hack.<br /><br /></p><h3>The Hacks</h3><h4>1. Disable Icons on the Desktop</h4><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_1.png" width="620" height="426" class="thickbox" /><br />At times, you may want to disable the icons that are being stashed on your Desktop in order to show a presentation, perform another task, or work without distractions. To disable your Desktop in the Finder, type the following Enable command. Items stored on your Desktop will still be visible from a Finder window<br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop false</pre><p>Reversal Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop true</pre><p>&nbsp;</p><h4>2. Prohibit Media Burning</h4><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_2.png" width="620" height="481" class="thickbox" /><br />Are your kids burning through CDs at a rate that's unbearable? Well, you could get them a USB drive; or, you can prevent them from burning media on your Mac. To do this, simply run the following command. Whenever they try to burn media from the Finder, they will get the above error. Plus, any created burn folders will have the "Burn" button disabled.<br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder ProhibitBurn true</pre><p>Reversal Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder ProhibitBurn false</pre><p>&nbsp;</p><h4>3. Enable Simple Finder</h4><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_3.png" width="620" /><br />You may not necessarily want to create a guest user account whenever someone wants to use your Mac. At the same time, you don't want someone nosing around in your files. Running this command will give you the best of both worlds. The "Simple Finder" hides your Desktop files, and won't let anyone open a new Finder window. Only applications in the Dock can be launched. Note that Spotlight will still work for launching items.<br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder InterfaceLevel simple</pre><p>Reversal Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder InterfaceLevel standard</pre><p><br />(or click Finder &gt; Run Full Finder, and then type in your admin password)<br /><br /><br /></p><h4>4. Show X-ray Folders in QuickLook</h4><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_4.jpg" width="620" height="388" /></p><p>QuickLook is great for viewing a file's contents before opening the file in an application, but when you try to QuickLook a folder, the results are pretty boring. By enabling X-ray Folders in QuickLook, the QuickLook preview of a folder will animate the viewing of files that are contained inside the folder. Note that this trick does not seem to be working in Mac OS X Lion.<br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableXRayFolders YES</pre><p>Reversal Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableXRayFolders NO</pre><p>&nbsp;</p><h4>5. Display Path in Title Bar</h4><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_5.png" width="620" height="386" /><br />When you dig a few levels deep into the Finder, you may lose your path. Sure, you could enable the Path bar by going to View &gt; Show Path Bar, but you can also enable the Path view in the less-obtrusive title bar.<br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES</pre><p>Reversal Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool NO</pre><p>&nbsp;</p><h4>6. Enable "Quit Finder" Menu Item</h4><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_6.png" width="410" height="379" /><br />Quitting the Finder application is not something that Apple supports by default, but you can enable it with this simple hack. After enabling, exit the Finder by clicking Finder &gt; Quit Finder.<br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder QuitMenuItem 1 <br /></pre><p>Reversal Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder QuitMenuItem 0</pre><p>&nbsp;</p><h4>7. Prohibit Disk Eject</h4><p><br />Do you find yourself accidentally ejecting disks from your Mac when a file copy is in progress? Well, you can prevent that by enabling this command temporarily. Once enabled, your Mac will not allow you to eject the disk through the Finder. Note that this command does not appear to work in Mac OS X Lion.<br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder ProhibitEject true</pre><p>Reversal Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder ProhibitEject false</pre><p>&nbsp;</p><h4>8. Show Hidden Files</h4><p><img src="/files/u12635/finder_hacks_7.png" width="620" height="386" /><br />Hidden files (or filenames beginning with a dot ".") are files or folders that have been hidden from plain sight by the OS. If you want to see all of the files that Apple and the OS has hidden from you, enable this command. <br /><br />Enable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles true</pre><p>Disable Command:</p><pre>defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles false</pre><p><br /><br /><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://twitter.com/coryb" target="_blank">Cory Bohon on Twitter</a>.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/8_finder_terminal_hacks_youve_never_used#commentsfinderhacksMacScriptsTerminalTipstricksMacHow-TosMon, 23 Jan 2012 16:31:40 +0000Cory Bohon13048 at http://www.maclife.com5 Ways to Customize the Dock with Terminal http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/5_ways_customize_dock_terminal
<!--paging_filter--><p>Sometimes, the Dock seems like the most static item on your Desktop. But, you can input a few Terminal commands to give it a little more function, rather than just leaving it to stare at you from the bottom of the screen. Read on to find out how.</p><h3>How to Use the Hacks</h3><p>Once you type in the following commands in Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities, or easily found by typing it into Spotlight), press Enter to execute them. Afterward, you'll need to restart the Dock so that the changes take place by typing the following command into Terminal:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">killall Dock</p><p>To disable the hack, simply run the "Reversal Command" listed for that hack.</p><h3>1. Enable iTunes Track Notifications</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_1.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_1.png" width="620" height="277" class="thickbox" /></a><br /><br />The Dock has a nifty hidden feature that allows you to see song information whenever iTunes is playing. By enabling the script below, a small popup will appear above the iTunes icon in the Dock containing the title of the song and artist name. To enable this command, type in:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">defaults write com.apple.dock itunes-notifications -bool TRUE</p><p>If you get annoyed by it, reenter that code into Terminal and replace that last word with FALSE.</p><h3>2. Make List View Stacks act like Grid View Stacks</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_2.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_2.png" width="620" height="291" class="thickbox" /></a><br /><br />The command below will jazz up your List View Stacks to look like the screenshot above. To enable the command, type in:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">defaults write com.apple.dock use-new-list-stack -bool YES</p><p>To reverse it, simply type in NO at the end.</p><h3>3. Enable the "Suck" Minimize Effect</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_3.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_3.png" width="620" height="395" class="thickbox" /></a><br /><br />By default, you can choose between the Genie and Scale minimize effect in System Preferences &gt; Dock, but there's also a hidden effect called "Suck." And no, it doesn't suck...Ha! You're hilarious.</p><p>You can enable it by typing in the following command:&nbsp;</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">defaults write com.apple.dock mineffect suck</p><p>To reverse it, just simply change the animation for the Dock.</p><h3>4. Pin the Dock</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_4.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_4.png" width="620" height="128" class="thickbox" /></a><br /><br />Having the dock smack dab in the center of the screen might make it too symmetrical for you. Try out one of the following commands below to pin the Dock to either side of the Desktop.</p><p>Pin Dock to the Right:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">defaults write com.apple.dock pinning -string "start"</p><p>Pin Dock to the Left:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">defaults write com.apple.dock pinning -string "end"</p><p>Pin Dock to the Center (back to the way it was):</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">defaults write com.apple.dock pinning -string "middle"</p><h3>5. Always Show Trash Empty or Full</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_5.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_terminal_5.png" width="620" height="409" class="thickbox" /></a><br />This is silly, but there's a command to make your Trash icon always look full.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">defaults write com.apple.dock trash-full -bool YES</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br /><br /><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://twitter.com/coryb" target="_blank">Cory Bohon on Twitter</a>.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/5_ways_customize_dock_terminal#commentsCustomizationdockhacksMac OS XTerminalTerminal Hackstips and tricksMacHow-TosThu, 19 Jan 2012 21:59:49 +0000Cory Bohon 13112 at http://www.maclife.com(Cyber) Monday Recap: Self-Combusting iPhone, Siri Starts a Car, Apple Contract Auctionedhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/cyber_monday_recap_selfcombusting_iphone_siri_starts_car_apple_contract_auctioned
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/apple_original_contracts_200px.png" alt="Apple original contracts for auction" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Happy Cyber Monday! Here’s hoping our MacLife.com readers have been able to find a bargain or two while browsing around today… seems to us that most of the good deals were blown out last Thursday and Friday, but we confess to spending a few hard-earned dollars here and there today. Oh, and hey, there’s still some news happening in the cyberworld, so here’s the latest for (Cyber) Monday, November 28, 2011.</p><h3>iPhone Spontaneously “Self Combusts” Down Under</h3><p>We’ve heard of spontaneous human combustion before, but spontaneous iPhone combustion? That might be a new one. <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/28/iphone_glows_emits_smoke_australian_airplane/" target="_blank">According to The Register</a>, an iPhone 4 (or possibly an iPhone 4S, since they’re virtually identical) apparently started to glow red and emit “significant amounts of dense smoke” as a Regional Express Airline flight was touching down Friday in Sydney, Australia. A quick-thinking flight attendant extinguished the mobile device, which was later described as having self combusted on the lower right hand side of the unit’s back. Apple has yet to comment on the issue.</p><h3>Original Apple Contract Heading for Auction Block</h3><p>Can’t say we didn’t see this one coming in the wake of Steve Jobs’ death. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-28/apple-founding-contract-signed-by-jobs-could-fetch-150-000-at-sotheby-s.html" target="_blank">According to Bloomberg</a>, one of the three original contracts from the founding of Apple Computer back on April 1, 1976 is about to hit the auction block at Sotheby’s, where it’s estimated to bring the owner upwards of $150,000. The three-page document is an original signed by founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, the latter who withdrew from the partnership 11 days later (the contract amendment is also part of the auction). The consigner who’s auctioning the contract bought the document in the mid-1990’s from a manuscript dealer who had acquired them from Wayne himself, apparently during Apple’s darkest hour and just prior to the return of Jobs. We’re guessing Wayne could have fetched a lot more had he chosen to hang onto the contract just a little longer...</p><h3>Video: Siri Hacked to Start Your Car</h3><p>Apple might want to control what Siri is capable of, but never underestimate the hackers, who are always quick to expand the horizons of any new technology. <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5862922/who-needs-keys-when-siri-has-been-hacked-to-start-cars?autoplay" target="_blank">Gizmodo is reporting</a> that the voice activated mistress of the iPhone 4S has been hacked to start some dude’s Acura. How does it work? Apparently, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPCpqXyFA8U" target="_blank">developer Brandon Fiquett has rigged Siri</a> so that a request to start his car gets routed to a proxy server hosted on his own website, which then sends a message to the Acura TL, conveniently connected via cellular data connection to the Viper Smart Start system. Check it out for yourself in the embedded video… all we can say is, “We want!”</p><p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aPCpqXyFA8U" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><h3>Amazon: We’re Selling Lots of Kindle Fires</h3><p>E-tailer Amazon.com isn’t waiting for the dust to clear on Cyber Monday before they begin chest-thumping about how great their Black Friday was. <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/11/amazon-kindle-sales-quadrupled-on-black-friday-kindle-fire-top-seller.html" target="_blank">According to <em>The Los Angeles Times</em></a>, the website quadrupled their previous Black Friday Kindle sales this year, and the new Kindle Fire has now become Amazon’s “best-selling product across all of Amazon.com on Black Friday.” Of course, in keeping with tradition, Amazon doesn’t back up their claims with any hard numbers, but there’s some ancillary evidence to support the bragging, since Target also confirmed the Kindle Fire was its top-selling tablet on Black Friday.</p><h3>Apple Ranked Fifth in Black Friday Website Traffic</h3><p>Speaking of Black Friday, it looks like Apple.com had a pretty good day as well. <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20111128/apple-nipping-at-targets-heels-for-fourth-most-visited-site-on-black-friday/" target="_blank">According to AllThingsD</a>, Cupertino’s website was “the fifth most-trafficked retailer on Black Friday,” an impressive feat considering it’s the only product manufacturer on the short list. Amazon is ranked first, followed by Walmart, Best Buy and Target -- who narrowly beat out Apple for the fourth position, as it turns out. “Apple has not historically been in the top five,” reveals comScore analyst Andrew Lipsman, whose company provided the traffic data analysis. “In fact, this is the first time I can remember.” Something tells us it won’t be the last, either...<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/cyber_monday_recap_selfcombusting_iphone_siri_starts_car_apple_contract_auctioned#commentsNewsAmazonapple computersauctionBlack Fridaydaily recaphacksiphone 4Kindle FireRonald WayneSiriSteve JobsiPhoneMacMon, 28 Nov 2011 22:35:08 +0000J.R. Bookwalter12865 at http://www.maclife.com4 Terminal Tricks for Customizing your OS X Dock http://www.maclife.com/article/features/4_terminal_tricks_customizing_your_os_x_dock
<!--paging_filter--><p>You can easily utilize apps like <a href="http://www.bresink.com/osx/TinkerTool.html" target="_self">TinkerToo</a>l and <a href="http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/system_disk_utilities/macpilot.html" target="_blank">MacPilot</a> to customize your Dock, or you can be a real superstar and use a couple of Terminal tricks. There are a ton of Dock tricks you can do, but here are four that are practical and easy to do. Follow along to learn how to pin your dock to one size, get super enlarged icons, turn your 3D Dock into a 2D Dock and disable Dashboard -- once a for all!</p><h3>1. Turn Your 3D Dock into a 2D Dock</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_1.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_1.png" width="620" height="35" class="thickbox" /></a></p><p><strong>Recognize this? It's the Dock style that normally appears when you pin it to the left or right.</strong><br /><br />Open Terminal and type in the following two commands: <br /><br /><code>defaults write com.apple.dock no-glass -boolean YES<br /><br />killall Dock</code><br /><br />The dock will now look 2D.&nbsp; If you want your reflective Dock back, just replace the “YES” in the above statement with a “NO” and re-run the two commands.<br /><br /></p><h3>2. Pin Your Dock to the Left or Right</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_2.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_2.png" width="620" height="24" class="thickbox" /></a></p><p><strong>Using the end string, you can pin your Dock to the right-hand side of the screen.</strong><br /><br />You can pin your Dock to the left, right, or middle of the screen. To pin it to the left-hand side of the screen, type the following two commands: <br /><br /><code>defaults write com.apple.dock pinning -string start<br /><br />killall Dock </code><br /><br />Replace “start” in the above statement with “end” to pin the Dock to the right-hand side of the screen, or “middle” to return to the default middle of the screen position. <br /><br /></p><h3>3. Disable Dashboard</h3><p>For many, Dashboard is not a tool they use very often. You can disable it by typing in the following two commands in Terminal: <br /><br /><code>defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean YES<br /><br />killall dock </code><br /><br />After doing that, you will no longer be able to activate Dashboard. But if for some reason you want to re-enable it, just replace the “YES” above with “NO” and re-run the two commands in Terminal. <br /><br /></p><h3>4. Increase Dock Magnification Past Allowable Size</h3><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/dock_4.png"><img src="/files/u12635/dock_4.png" width="620" height="202" class="thickbox" /></a></p><p><strong>Admittedly, it's not very practical.</strong><br /><br />Apple has allowed a maximum maginification size of 128 pixels for their Dock magnification size. However, the following Terminal trick will increase that size to 256 pixels instead: <br /><br /><code>defaults write com.apple.dock largesize -float 256.000000 <br /><br />killall Dock </code><br /><br />To change the size back to the Apple-allowed maximum, replace “256” in the above statement with “128” and re-run the two commands. You can then adjust the size in System Preferences &gt; Dock.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://twitter.com/coryb" target="_blank">Cory Bohon on Twitter</a></em>.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/features/4_terminal_tricks_customizing_your_os_x_dock#commentsCustomizationdockhacksMacTerminalterminal tricksTipstrickstweaksFeaturesMacHow-TosTue, 28 Jun 2011 20:10:05 +0000Cory Bohon11493 at http://www.maclife.comHow To Play SNES Games on Your iPad With a Wii Controllerhttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_play_snes_games_your_ipad_wii_controller
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u286882/marioipad.jpg" width="620" height="349" /></p><p>For some gamers, there’s no school like the old school. While modern video games might boast better graphics, many pew-pew fanatics of a certain age argue that they lack the difficulty and charm of the console titles of yore. Thanks to the jailbreaking community and the Bluetooth connectivity of <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/feature/13_best_nintendo_ds_titles_now_available_app_store" target="_self">Nintendo</a>’s Wii Controller, you can combine the gaming greatness of the 1990s with the high-tech power of Apple’s <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/ipad_review_roundup" target="_self">iPad</a>. What respectable nerd or geek could ever hope to resist such a mash-up? Let’s get started!</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Step One: Jailbreak your iPad and Install Cydia</h3><p><img src="/files/u286882/step-one_1.jpg" width="500" height="281" /></p><p>Depending on the version of iOS you’re using, there are a number of methods for jailbreaking your iPad. For first time jailbreakers, we suggest taking a look at <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/ipad/untethered_greenpois0n_jailbreak_ios_421_now_available" target="_self">Greenpois0n</a> and <a href="http://limera1n.com/" target="_blank">Limera1n</a>--they’re practically fool-proof, while&nbsp; seasoned jailbreakers may prefer the advanced installation options provided by <a href="http://blog.iphone-dev.org/" target="_blank">Redsnow</a> or <a href="http://blog.iphone-dev.org/post/42931306/pwnagetool-2-0-1" target="_blank">Pwnagetool</a>.</p><h3>Step Two: Download SNES4iPhone &amp; iFile</h3><p>&nbsp; <img src="/files/u286882/step-2-snes4iphone.jpg" width="225" height="169" /> <img src="/files/u286882/step-2-ifile.jpg" width="225" height="169" /></p><p>Once Cydia has been installed to your iPad, open it and tap the Search icon, located in the bottom left corner of the Cydia App Store interface. Type in SNES4iPhone as a search. Once you’ve located the application, purchase and download it to your iPad. SNES4iPhone is a stable, feature-rich SNES emulator that allows iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users to, as its name suggests, play SNES games on their iOS device.</p><p>While originally intended for use the iPhone or iPod touch, the application’s developer has made a few tweaks to ensure that the emulator looks and plays great on the iPad’s larger screen as well. Next, search for and purchase and install an application called iFile, which will allow you with easy access to your iPad’s file structure, as well as the ability to transfer files from your Mac to your iOS device without the need for iTunes.</p><h3>Step Three: Locate &amp; Download ROMs</h3><p><img src="/files/u286882/step-three-roms.jpg" width="500" height="304" /></p><p>The hoarding and playing of ROMS with emulation software has always been something of a legal gray area. Some feel that once you've purchased a copy of a game--Super Mario Kart, for example--you should be able to play that game on any other system that will support it, emulators included. Others argue that it should never be done for fear of being eaten by the copyright monster.</p><p>What do we believe? Software piracy is bad, so don’t do it. But you can locate and download free ROMs from indie developers and play them on the SNES app. There is a huge SNES homebrew community, which even after all this time, continues to crank out new, free content to keep the SNES dream alive.</p><h3>Step Four: CyberDucky, You’re the One</h3><p><img src="/files/u286882/cyberduck-icon.jpg" width="200" height="200" /><br />In order to move your SNES files from Mac to iPad, you’re going to need <a href="http://cyberduck.ch/" target="_blank">CyberDuck</a>. With it’s ability to handle just about every file transfer protocol under the sun, this free, open-source beauty is our go-to program for painless file transfers between wireless devices on the cheap. Cyberduck can be downloaded <a href="http://cyberduck.ch/">here</a>. Once you’ve installed the software, open the application and turn your attention to your iPad.</p><p>Make sure that your iPad and Mac sharing on the same WiFi network. Open iFile and locate the wireless symbol (It looks a lot like your Mac Menubar’s Airport icon). Tap it and your iPad’s screen should turn black and provide you with a message that looks very much like this:</p><p><br /><img src="/files/u286882/step-4-b.jpg" width="500" height="130" /><br /><br />The last line of the data--<em>Accepting connections at http://&lt;your ipad’s name&gt;.local:10000 or http://10.0.1.3:10000</em>--is the the payoff here. This is the Bonjour address that Cyberduck can use to shake hands with your iPad. Type in <em>http://10.0.1.3:10000</em> into the Quick Connect field, and hit the Return key. You should receive a Growl notification that your iPad and Mac are now connected. The iPad’s file structure should now be on display in Cyberduck. Good work!<br /><img src="/files/u286882/step-four-c.jpg" width="457" height="407" /><br /><br />Now it’s time to move those ROMs on to the iPad. Using Cyberduck’s interface, browse to private/var/mobile/Media/ROMs/SNES. Select and drag your ROM files into the SNES folder. Cyberduck will open a progress bar window to let you know that the files are being shifted to your tablet. Once the transfer is complete, Click Disconnect in Cyberduck, and click the Done button located in the top right corner of the iFile. Did your ROMs make it over to your iPad in one piece? There’s only one way to find out: Open SNES4iPhone and click the browse button at the bottom of the interface. If you’re ROMs are present in the games list, you’re in business.<br /><br /><img src="/files/u286882/step-four-d.jpg" width="225" height="300" /><br /><br /></p><h3>Step Five: Take Control</h3><p>SNES4iPhone can be played using onscreen controls, but in order to be all the geek you can be, you’re gonna want to play your SNES ROMs using a Nintendo branded controller. Lucky for us, SNES4iPhone has the ability to link up to a Nintendo Wii Controller baked right in. Tap the Options icon, located at the bottom of the program’s interface. Set SNES4iPhone’s options to mimic those seen in the next photo:</p><p><img src="/files/u286882/step-five-a.jpg" width="225" height="300" /><br /><br />With screen doubling turned on, SNES4iPhone’s interface may look a little jagged, but with the Scaling and Smooth Scaling turned on, your in-game content should look as smooth as it would on a TV set. By clicking WiiMote Support to on, you’ve given the program permission to accept input from the controller’s hardware, bypassing the need for SNES4iPhone’s on-screen controls. Once you’ve set the appropriate options, close the program. This will reset the application to accept input from a Wii controller. Before restarting SNES4iPhone, make sure that your iPad’s bluetooth functionality is switched off, and if the version of iOS you’re rocking supports multitasking, the SNES4iPhone has been closed, and is not running in the back ground. With that done, we can move on to the cool stuff.</p><p><img src="/files/u286882/wii500.jpg" width="438" height="151" /><br />Rustle up your Nintendo Wii Controller, and make sure that it’s got fresh batteries in it. Now, restart SNES4iPhone. The application will launch a screen declaring that it’s searching for a Wii Controller. Push the 1 and 2 keys on your Wii Controller.</p><p><img src="/files/u286882/step-five-b.jpg" width="225" height="300" /></p><p>The controller will connect to SNES4iPhone thanks to the iOS application’s custom Bluetooth Stack software and ask you to select a ROM from the program’s library to play. All that’s left to do is select what screen orientation and sound settings you’re interested in using and BOOM! You’re living in retro gaming heaven!</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/SeamusBellamy" target="_blank">Seamus Bellamy on Twitter</a></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_play_snes_games_your_ipad_wii_controller#commentsclassic gameshacksjailbreakingnintendoOMG thats so radwiiWiimoteiPadHow-TosMon, 14 Feb 2011 20:35:25 +0000Seamus Bellamy9843 at http://www.maclife.comHow To Get AirPlay on Your Old Apple TV with Remote HDhttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_get_airplay_your_old_apple_tv_remote_hd
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/remote_hd_airplay_on_atv_620px.jpg" alt="Remote HD brings AirPlay to old Apple TV" width="620" height="119" /></p><p>Among the few disappointments that iOS 4.2 brought with it, AirPlay has been one users have been the most vocal about. In addition to being limited on which apps allow video streaming, the original Apple TV was left out of the party -- until now.<br /><br />App Dynamic, the developers of the iOS-based Remote HD, announced this week that their <a href="http://www.remotehd.com/AppleTV/" target="_blank">original Apple TV plug-in has been updated with the newfound ability to do AirPlay video streaming</a> from any iPhone, iPod touch or iPad with iOS 4.2 installed. The news was met with squeals of joy from orphaned first-generation Apple TV owners, who can now join the wireless streaming party.<br /><br />So what can you do with AirPlay on the original ATV? Almost everything you can do on the second-generation black model, which includes streaming video from the iPod (on iPhone and iPod touch) or Videos (on the iPad) apps, as well as from YouTube. Pictures can also be streamed via the Photos app on any iOS device. If your iOS device is jailbroken, you can also stream video from most any third-party app. Unfortunately, at the moment audio-only streaming is not an option, but the developer claims this is coming soon.<br /><br />Making the magic happen isn’t quite as easy as downloading an app -- your original Apple TV will have to be hacked, either manually or with the paid, user-friendly aTV Flash from FireCore, LLC which includes the Remote HD plug-in among its many feats of strength.<br /><br />Here’s how to get rocking with AirPlay on your first-gen Apple TV, regardless of which method you decide to use. Note that in either case, you can’t really harm your original ATV, since you can always easily restore the device to stock firmware and be right back where Apple always intended you to be.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/atv_flash_620px.jpg" alt="aTV Flash for old Apple TV" width="620" height="349" /></p><h3>aTV Flash Makes It Easy</h3><p><br />The easiest way to get AirPlay working on your original Apple TV is to <a href="http://firecore.com/atvflash" target="_blank">purchase the $39.95 aTV Flash software for Mac or Windows</a>. aTV Flash is essentially a user-friendly installer that brings together a host of open-source software from various developers, including nitoTV (which allows you to play additional codecs on the ATV, including DVD disc images), Couch Surfer Pro (think Safari on your television), Last.fm streaming, FTP and SSH access, XBMC and/or Boxee and yes, Remote HD.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/remote_hd_app_480px.jpg" alt="Remote HD on iPad" width="480" height="360" /><br /><br /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remote-hd/id310516183?mt=8" target="_blank">Remote HD</a> is a universal iOS app which lets your handset or iPad double as a remote control, but also offers sophisticated VNC capabilities for compatible devices. The company makes a small server software package for Mac and Windows to allow your computer to be used anywhere you have an Internet connection with the Remote HD app, as well as a plug-in for the original Apple TV to get the same functionality.<br /><br />aTV Flash has <a href="http://media.firecore.com/install.pdf" target="_blank">an extensive PDF available documenting how to install the software</a> on your white Apple TV, so we won’t repeat all of that information here. The short version is that you’ll install the required components onto a USB thumb drive from your Mac or Windows computer, unplug the power cable from your Apple TV and then plug the aTV Flash thumb drive into the ATV’s USB port. Power up the ATV and you’ll see an aTV Flash logo at startup, followed by a long list of Linux jargon as the software does its thing. When prompted, power off the ATV, remove the flash drive and power the ATV back up again.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/maintenance_install_extras_620px.jpg" alt="Apple TV Maintenance - Install Extras" width="619" height="213" /><br /><br />Once your hacked ATV fires up again, you’ll now see a couple of new menu options, including nitoTV and Maintenance -- the latter is where you’ll go to install the Remote HD plug-in, which should be version 4.2.8 in order to enable AirPlay streaming. Although the software doesn’t force you to buy the Remote HD iOS app, they’re technically a package, so be sure to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remote-hd/id310516183?mt=8" target="_blank">head to the iOS App Store and pick up Remote HD</a> while it’s on sale for only $3.99 -- you won’t be sorry.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/apple_tv_install_extras_screen_620px.jpg" alt="Apple TV Install Extras - Remote HD" width="620" height="371" /><br /><br />If you already own the Remote HD app and have your white Apple TV hacked using aTV Flash, the good news is <a href="http://blog.firecore.com/3631" target="_blank">you’re just a click away from enabling AirPlay</a> -- simply head to the Maintenance menu, select Install Extras and scroll down to the Remote HD plug-in option, which should now list “Update” next to it. Run the update, restart the Finder and your Apple TV should now appear as an option from the AirPlay menu on your iOS 4.2-equipped device.<br /><br /></p><h3>Install Remote HD Directly on a Stock ATV</h3><p><br />If you don’t need all of the goodness that aTV Flash offers or don’t want to spend $39.95 for the ease of installation, you can opt for doing it yourself using free open-source tools and the Remote HD software.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/atvusb3x.png" alt="ATV USB Creator" width="487" height="468" /><br /><br />First, you’ll want to <a href="http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/" target="_blank">follow the instructions to install atvusb-creator</a> in order to hack your original Apple TV. The process is similar to getting aTV Flash installed, however the software is a little less user-friendly. Your Apple TV should already be at version 3.0 or newer -- if it’s not, you’ll want to upgrade first for a smooth experience.<br /><br />With your ATV unlocked and connected to your local network via either Wi-Fi or Ethernet, you’ll now use the Terminal software supplied with Mac OS X to connect to the box and install Remote HD. Head to your Applications folder, then open Utilities and double-click Terminal to run the app. After a moment, copy and paste the following command into Terminal:<br /><br /><em>ssh frontrow@appletv.local</em><br /><br />Now you’ll be asked for your password, which is simply “frontrow” (no quotation marks). You’ll be connected to your white ATV and can now issue three separate commands into Terminal which will download, uncompress and finally install the Remote HD plug-in. Be sure to hit the Return key after each one!<br /><br /><em>scp ssh.remotehd.com:RemoteHelper.tar RemoteHelper.tar</em></p><p><em>tar xvf RemoteHelper.tar<br /></em></p><p><em>./install-RemoteHelper</em><br /><br />If you happen to get a password request, just type in “frontrow” once more, again without the quotation marks.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/remote_hd_appletv_620px.jpg" alt="Apple TV via Remote HD" width="619" height="257" /><br /><br />After the Remote HD plug-in installs, your Apple TV will restart and you’re ready to go. Open the Remote HD app on your iOS device and after a moment you should see your ATV box appear under the first section, “Computers around you.” Tap on the “AppleTV” selection and the app will connect to the box and you’ll be able to navigate your ATV remotely from the app. Note that the default password is empty, but you can always select one of your own for extra security.<br /><br />Last but not least, you can open an AirPlay-compatible app, start playing a video and then tap the AirPlay button -- you should now see “AppleTV” as one of your video streaming options. Select it, and in a moment your video will be magically thrown directly to your orphaned white Apple TV box, all without wires.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_get_airplay_your_old_apple_tv_remote_hd#commentsairplayApple TVhacksiOS 4.2video streamingHow-TosTue, 11 Jan 2011 20:30:18 +0000J.R. Bookwalter9439 at http://www.maclife.comVideo: AirPlayer Sends Video from iOS to Mac, No Jailbreak Necessaryhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/video_airplayer_sends_video_ios_mac_no_jailbreak_necessary
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/airplay_to_mac_200px.jpg" alt="AirPlay to Mac" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />The AirPlay technology that Apple rolled out with iOS 4.2 is definitely the future, even though it’s quite lacking in its current incarnation. Thanks to an enterprising developer, you can now add iOS to Mac streaming capabilities, without ever having to hack your device.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2010/12/14/airplay-reverse-engineered-to-send-video-from-ios-devices-to-macs/" target="_blank">MacRumors is reporting</a> that longtime iOS developer Erica Sadun has essentially reverse engineered Apple’s new AirPlay technology to come up with a Mac application called AirPlayer, which essentially allows you to stream from your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to the screen of your Mac computer.<br /><br />“What AirPlayer does is create and advertise a custom Bonjour AirPlay service that pretends to be an Apple TV,” Sadun revealed. “Bonjour is Apple's zero configuration networking solution for allowing devices and applications to communicate with each other over local area networks. When Apple created AirPlay, it basically set up a new way for Apple TV to interact with iOS using Bonjour communications.”<br /><br />Of course, there’s no reason that something similar couldn’t be done to make AirPlay stream to Windows as well, although Sadun, a writer for the Mac-centric website TUAW, has no plans to attempt that anytime soon.<br /><br />AirPlayer is currently an ad-supported alpha for Mac OS X, which tinkerers can <a href="http://ericasadun.com/ftp/Macintosh/" target="_blank">download free from Sadun’s website</a>. MacRumors calls the software an “early proof of concept release,” which we would agree with -- we downloaded AirPlayer and gave it a spin, but found the experience a little slow and buggy in its current form. However, it’s an exciting peek into what may come, particularly if Apple gets to work on allowing us to stream directly from our iTunes library to our iOS devices.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a><br /><br />(Video &amp; image courtesy of MacRumors)</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hQg046aoV9Y?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hQg046aoV9Y?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/video_airplayer_sends_video_ios_mac_no_jailbreak_necessary#commentsNewsairplayBonjourhacksMac OS Xstreaming videoiPadiPhoneiPodWed, 15 Dec 2010 13:15:43 +0000J.R. Bookwalter9231 at http://www.maclife.comAirPrint Hacktivator Updated to Version 1.7http://www.maclife.com/article/ipad/airprint_hacktivator_updated_version_17
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u286882/aph200.jpg" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" /><a href="http://netputing.com/airprinthacktivator/" target="_blank">Airprint Hacktivator</a>--a small but brilliant program that makes any printer connected to your Mac <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/os_x_1065_update_does_not_include_airprint_shared_printers_updated" target="_self">AirPrint</a> compatible--has been updated to Version 1.7, making the invaluable system workaround less intrusive to your Mac's OS X operating system while at the same time maintaining the same level of awesome. For those of you who have been pining for a way to wirelessly print from your <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/ios_42_beta_live_devs_ipad_printing_named_airprint" target="_self">iOS</a> device, you're going to want to download this free piece of software as fast as your internet connect can manage it.</p><p>While AirPrint Hacktivator was only released a scant few days ago, the software's already undergone a a few significant changes, both cosmetic and under the hood. Topically, the latest iteration of the AirPrint Hacktivator boasts a refreshed user interface and status indicator. On the performance side of things, the folks at Netputing have managed to sort out a new way to initialize the <a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/11/developers-discover-hack-to-enable-shared-printers-for-airprint.ars" target="_blank">Troughton-Smith</a> hack that entails less mucking about with your Mac's OS.</p><p>Available to both Mac and <a href="http://netputing.com/2010/11/25/activate-airprint-on-windows-for-free/" target="_blank">Windows</a> users, AirPrint Hacktivator is free to download and a breeze to install. After using the hack on a few different machines and printers, we've found that after installing the software and initializing the hack, you may have to uninstall and reinstall your printer to before your iOS device recognizes it as an AirPrint compatible printer. Once you've overcome that minor obstacle, you'll be set up to print from iOS to your heart's content.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/SeamusBellamy" target="_blank">Seamus Bellamy on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/ipad/airprint_hacktivator_updated_version_17#commentsNewsairprinthacksiOSproductivitywireless printingiPadiPhoneiPodMacMon, 29 Nov 2010 20:24:35 +0000Seamus Bellamy9066 at http://www.maclife.comHow To Make AirPrint Work Under Mac OS X 10.6.5http://www.maclife.com/article/news/how_make_airprint_work_under_mac_os_x_1065
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/airprint_on_ipad_380px.jpg" alt="AirPrint on iPad" width="380" height="193" /><br /><em>(Image courtesy of 9to5Mac)</em><br /><br />Wednesday was a day of disappointment for many -- at least those of us currently rocking the iOS 4.2 gold master who were looking forward to using the new AirPrint service, which was widely believed to require yesterday’s Mac OS X 10.6.5 release. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.9to5mac.com/35006/how-to-get-airprint-working-on-mac-os-10-6-5" target="_blank">9to5Mac is reporting</a> that AirPrint does indeed work with Mac OS X 10.6.5 -- at least with an earlier build than the one Apple released on Wednesday, the version the general public gets to install. The general consensus was that the final Mac OS X 10.6.5 released this week would allow iOS 4.2 devices to wirelessly print to those printers attached to your Mac, which has not turned out to be the case.<br /><br />However, <a href="http://blog.steventroughtonsmith.com/2010/11/return-airprint-sharing-to-mac-os-x.html" target="_blank">an enterprising developer named Steven Troughton-Smith</a> came up with a method of getting AirPrint rockin’ again under the release version of Mac OS X 10.6.5, but it does require access to an earlier build, such as 10H542.<br /><br />The trick involves copying the following three files from the hidden /usr directory (see below) on a Mac running the prerelease OS X, replacing any files already there:<br /><br /><em>/usr/libexec/cups/filter/urftopdf<br />/usr/share/cups/mime/apple.convs<br />/usr/share/cups/mime/apple.types</em><br /><br />Of course, you’ll want to back up the files you’re replacing, assuming you have them (we didn’t). After a system restart, remove and then re-add your printer with the Print &amp; Fax preferences pane and make sure it’s enabled for sharing, then you should be merrily printing sans wires from anywhere in your home.<br /><br />To access the hidden /usr directory, you can use the Finder’s “Go” menu to select “Go to Folder…” and then type “/usr/libexec/cups” or from the Terminal type “open -a Finder /usr/libexec/cups” (no quotation marks in either case, please!).<br /><br />So what about those three required files? If you don’t have access to a developer account you probably don’t have the required Mac OS X 10.6.5 prerelease build (or iOS 4.2 GM) to begin with, but <a href="http://www.9to5mac.com/35006/how-to-get-airprint-working-on-mac-os-10-6-5" target="_blank">your friends at 9to5Mac may or may not have you covered</a>. The only way to be sure is to click that last link and find out!<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em><br /><br /><br /></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/how_make_airprint_work_under_mac_os_x_1065#commentsNewsairprinthacksiOS 4.2mac appsMac OS X 10.6.5wireless printingMacThu, 11 Nov 2010 14:03:11 +0000J.R. Bookwalter8892 at http://www.maclife.com